Salt shaker



H. D. VIA

SALT SHAKER Dec. 6, 1949 Filed March 14, 1947 FIG. 2.

FIG. 1.

HUGH 0'; WA,

1 facture and easy to operate, Another object of the invention is Patented Dec. 6, 1949 2,490,721 s V n SALT SHAKER Hugh 1). Via,'Por Ttsinouth,ya Application March 14, 194?;Scrial-Ng); 734,615

This invention relates to a containerfor holding and dispensing salt, granulated sugar, pepper, bicarbonate of soda, and other substances in powdered; granulated, or comminuted form.

A principal object of the invention is to provide such a container that will always permit the contents to run freely and controllably,'irrespectiveof conditions tending to cause clogging or lumping.

7 Another object of the invention is to provide such a container that will be economical to manuto, provide a container of the character described that willtbe easy to refill. v H

Otherobjectswill hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the new and improved shaker.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the shaker, with the object of showing the construction and arrangement of the internal plunger and the plug portions thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the plunger.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the shaker in reverse position, showing the plunger during the refilling operation.

The invention will be described with particular reference to a salt shaker, although it is to be understood that other foods, condiments, and. drugs may be similarly held and dispensed.

The invention comprises a main cylindrical container I having a top 2 and a bottom closure 3, the latter being spaced some distance above the bottom of the container I. The top member 2 is provided with a central aperture 4, and the lower member 3 is also provided with a central aperture 5. When the apertures 4 and 5 are sealed, the container I will form an air-tight compartment for the salt or other contents. The apertures 4 and 5 are tapered, the taper of the aperture 4 converging downwardly, and the taper of the aperture 5 converging upwardly when the container I is in the upright position shown in Figure 2.

A plunger I0, made of rubber, is adapted to slide axially within the container I to dispense the salt as required. The upper portion of the plunger III is provided with a conical portion II that is adapted to mate with and form a plug for the aperture 4 in the top 2 of the container. The size of the conical plug portion II will be such as to form a tight closure for the aperture 4, in

1 Claim. (ones-457)} thenature of a force fit. The other end of tthe plunger I 0 will: have another iconical' portion I2 serving as a. second'iplugxadapted to. fit. within theiaperture f thebottom. member? in such a way-as to provide a slidefit. In the normal position of the plunger II]; the lower aperture 5 will be closed by the conical portion I2 of the plunger 10', so-that thecontentsof the container I are held above the bottom member 3. The aperture 5 is smaller than the aperture 4 in order'to permit assembly of the plunger I0 within the container I. The "plunger I0 endsin a tip I3 below the conical'portion I2. 5

Above the second conical plugportion I2, is .an

enlarged annular corrugation I4, of a diameter smaller than thatof the conical plug portion I2. Above the corrugation I4 is an annular protuberance or check ring I5, and above the check ring I5 is another annular corrugation I6, for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.

The plunger I0 is longitudinally apertured and is adapted to receive a comparatively rigid rod 30. The end of the rod 30 is firmly embedded in the lower conical plug portion I2 of the rubber plunger II). The upper portion of the rod 30 has some movement relative to its adjoining portion of the plunger I0. An operating button 3I is fixed to the upper end of the rod 30.

To assemble the device, the plunger I0 is inserted through the aperture 4 of the container I, the tip I3 serving as a guide. The conical plug portion I2 of the plunger I I] will have to be forced through the aperture 5 of the lower closure member 3 in order to attain the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, and to this end the tip I3 may be manually grasped from the bottom of the container and pulled until the conical portion I2 has cleared the aperture 5. The size and resilience of the member I2 are such as to normally keep the conical plug portion I2 in close contact with the closure member 3 to lock the contents within the container I and to form an air-tight seal therefor.

To dispense the salt, it is only necessary to depress the operating button 3| with respect to the container I. As soon as the conical plug portion I2 has moved downwardly a sufiicient distance to clear the aperture 5 of the closure member 3 by the downward stretching of plunger I0, the salt will start to flow. It should be observed that it is not necessary to have the conical plug member I2 entirely below the closure member 3, and that it is merely suflicient to have it lowered only such a distance as will permit the salt to fall down between the sides of the conical plug portion 12 and the aperture 5. The annular corrugation l4 serves as a portion measurin tion on the plunger. After the salt immediately contiguous to the opening 5 has fallen through from about corrugation [4, the ring l5 will tend to stop any further flow. The button 3i will then be released, thereby urging the bottom portion of the plunger l0 upwardly and displacing some of the salt toward the bottom of the container. The button 31 can again be depressed to dispense some of the contents. The operation is repeated as long and as often as desired.

To refill the container, it is necessary to invert the device, as shown in Figure 4. If the button 3| is positioned on a table, the container 1 can be pushed downwardly to force the conical portion I2 away from the closure member 3-. The relative movement of the plunger I0 and the container I is such as to pass the entire conical plug portion [2, the corrugation l4, and the ring member 15 away from the bottom closure memher 3. The ring portion l5, of course, is smaller in diameter than any diameter of the aperture 5 so that the ring section Hi can pass the aperture 5 without difiiculty. When the corrugation i6 is within the aperture 5, as shown more particularly in Figure 4, salt 36 can be deposited by a spoon 31 or other implement, and the salt will pass easily through the aperture 5 into the container I.

What I claim is:

In a salt shaker comprising a hollow container with a central aperture in both the top and bottom thereof, both apertures being conical, and a plunger extending through the container and having conical plug portions at the ends thereof adapted to fit the conical apertures in the top and bottom of the container, the features which include a rod extending from within the lower end of the plunger upwardly through the upper end of the latter, an operating button disposed on the upper end of the rod, and include having the plunger consist of resilient rubber so that the lower plug portion may be depressed by pressure applied to the operating button by stretching the plunger and increasing the distance between the two conical plug portions thereon,

having the upper conical aperture flaring upwardly and the lower conical aperture flaring downwardly, and the upper conical plug portion on the plunger diverging or flaring upwardly and the lower conical plug portion flaring or diverging downwardly.

HUGH D. VIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

